Pneumatic piano-player.



E. C. WAMELINK.

PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYER. APPLICATION m'zo APR. 24, 1909 1,210,239. Patented Dec. 26,1916.

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' Piano-Players, of which the following is a EUGENE c. WAMELINK, 0F CLEVELAND, omo.

PNEUMATIC PIANO-PLAYER.

' Application mea s rn 24, 190a Serial No. 491,884.

To all whom it'may concern: I

Be it known that I, EUGENE C. 'WAME- LINK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic specification; a

This application relates to improvements in piano players generally and represents a modified arrangement and construction over that shown in my copending application- Serial No. 486,372 filed March 29, 1909 wherein the power pneumatic, controlled in the usual manner by the secondary pneutracker board air, is governed in its operation by a device which receives its actuation from the tracker board air also and the intensity, or the volume of} sound, produced by the power pneumatic is dependent at all times upon the volume of air admitted] from the tracker board so that if the music sheet is provided with perforations of greater width for the melody or theme the power pneumatic operated through the instrumen-- tality of the admission of air through these perforations will produce tones which are increased in volume over the tones of the accompaniment and the theme of the piece is brought out in just the manner in which it would be brought out by a master or by the original composer. While the present invention is a modification of the construction set forth in suchapplication and may or may not be more effectual in bringing about the results pointed out in such previous application, it comprehends a construction and arrangement which is highly effective in operation. Then too the present invention contemplates addition of other features to be more fully disclosed.

In piano players generally there has been at all times a great desire to arrange the mechanism in a manner such that the bass notes are spoken with an increased intensity, or volume of sound, over that of the treble and this is usually brought about, in machines already in use, by means of suitable controlling buttons and devices which intensify, as it were, the operation of the actions for the has so that the operator maycause'them to. be played heavier than the treble or with more intensity than the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

treble, but here again we meet the great stumbling block that, as a rule, the user of a piano player is unskilled in the art of music and does not appreciate'the importance or the value of such a manipulation so that if the machine itself would automatically control such features, and would intensify the bass notes, the music rendered by the instrument would be much better in point of technique and a long-felt want would be accomplished. v 1

This invention, therefore, relates to a piano player actionofthe pneumatic type wherein the tracker board supplies its air to the primary pneumatic which in turn,

when operated, supplies air to the secondary pneumatic, this pneumatic being adapted to open up-the port leading to the power pneumatic and permit the suction to act upon this elementin the production of the tone, together with a suitable device acting directly upon the vacuum valve controlling the communication between the power pneumatic and the vacuum chest and regulating s the extent of its opening in direct proportion to the volume of air admitted from the tracker board.

Invention further resides in the arrange ment of a suitable control for the bleed be tween the tracker board air line and the vacuum chest whereby the effective operation of the controlling device, acting on the vacuum valve,,is regulated to a ,nicety so that a machine equipped with actions of this character might be set so that the bass notes will be spoken with greater intensity and volume than the treble.

Invention still further resides in a novel arrangement of the vacuum valveand relief valve whereby after the power pneumatic has operated, and assumes normal position, the relief valve is re-seated so that upon the next operation of the action the outside air or relief valve need only be held closed. Thus it will be seen that the power pneumatic will be operated instantly upon the opening of the vacuum valve which up to the time of operation has cut off any communication between the vacuum chest and the power pneumatic.

Invention still further resides in certain details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth in the following description, drawing and claims.

Referring to the drawing, the li ure represents an action in section to s ow the necessary features, but I have shown one construction in the drawings which meets the requirements very efiectively, and in such embodiment 1 represents the tracker board provided with the usual openings 2 permitting theadmission of outsideairto the tracker board air tubes 3. Cooperating with this tracker board is a music sheet i having one size of perforations 5 and wider perforations-6 all for a purpose to be 'de' scribed.

Each pneumatic action for each piano abstract comprises a power pneumatic 7 secured to the casing 8 and communicating by an opening 9 with an opening 10 which is in communication with an opening 11 extending to a' vacuum chamber 12 which is connected by suitable openings 13 with the secondary vacuum chamber 1-1 in open communication with the exhaust opening 15. Secured to the inner wall of the chamber 12 about the opening 11 is a valve seat member 16 provided with a valve seat 17 having secured thereto a leather washer 18 which receives upon it a vacuum controlling valve 19' of any preferred construction. The vacuum valve controls the exhaust of the power pneumatic as will appear. This valve 19 is secured to the end of a sleeve 20 which has rigidly secured to it a diaphragm 21, the edge of which is secured to the partition 12. The sleeve 20 extends through a suitable opening in the partition 12 and has secured to the end thereof a diaphragm 22 which is secured at its edge to the partition.

Slidably mounted within the sleeve 20 is a relief valve rod 23 having upon the left end thereof as shown in the drawing, a button 2% adapted to be engaged by the secondary pneumatic diaphragm 25, which is secured at its edge to the inner wall of the casing within the secondary vacuum chamber 11. A suitable-opening 26 is formed in the casing back of this diaphragm to pro vide clearance for the action of the air upon the diaphragm. A port 27 is arranged in the casing and passes up to the top thereof for a purpose to be later described; The rod 23 is provided between the button 24 and the diaphragm 22 with a button 28 having thereon a suitable leather or other washer 29 adapted to seat againstthe end of the sleeve and form a seal between the secondary vacuum chamber 1% and the opening about the rod .28 within the sleeve 20. The end of the rod 23 opposite to the button24:

is provided with 'an outside air or relief valve 30 which is rigid upon the rod and is adapted to seat against the casing about an opening 31 formed therein and establishing communication between the opening 10 and the outside air. A strip 32 may be secured to the outside of the casing and may be provided with an opening for guiding the rod 28. A spring 33 is arranged between the vacuum valve 19 and the outside air valve 30 and the normal tendency of this spring is to shift the latter yieldingly against its seat and to hold the rod normally in the position shown in the drawings with the button 2 1 away from the secondary pneumatic diaphragm 25, and further to hold the vacuum controlling valve against its seat with the diaphragms 21 and 22 flexed to the left as shown. The partition 12 is pro vided with suitable clearance space 3% be hind the diaphragm 21 and this space communicates by a suitable openin 35 with a pipe 36' connected to a pipe 34 leading to the tracker board air tube 3. A suitable bleed 3S arranged between the opening and the vacuum chamber 12 whereby the vacuum is equalized on both sides of the diaphragm 21 and in the tracker board air line.

The primary pneumatic device comprises a suitable casing 39 secured to the casing 8 and having therein aprimary vacuum chamber 10 provided with an opening 4C1 leading to the outside of the casing. Slidably mounted in this opening 41 is a valve stem -12 having upon the upper end thereof avalve a3 and upon the lower end thereof a valve 4-1. These two valves are separated suiiiciently so that when one is closed the other is open, and the stem i2 is of sufficient size such that air may pass around it. The opening 41 is in open communication with an opening 45 connected to the port 27 leading to the space behind the secondary pneumatic diaphragm.

, Secured in the lower *alve 44: is a stem 4:6 secured in a button 47 which is adapted to be acted upon by a primary diaphragm 48 secured at its periphery to the inner wall of the casing. Suitable clearance space 49 is provided back of this diaphragm and an opening 50 leads from this clearance space to a tracker board air pipe 51 secured in the primary pneumatic casing 39 and connected to the tracker board air pipe 37.

Let us assume that the machine is at a state of rest as is shown in the drawings and that a suitable vacuum is being created in the vacuum chambers 12 and 14 through the opening 15, then there will be a vacuum acting upon the vacuum controlling valve and tend ing to hold it closed against its seat. The same force will be acting'through the port 4&0 in the chamber 40 of the primary pneumatic casin g and will be drawing the valve 43 .down upon its seat and will be acting further through the bleed 38 upon the tracker board air line and upon the underside of the primary pneumatic valve as well as upon the left side of the secondary pneumatic dia ,phragm causing them to assume the position shown. Now as an opening in the sheet of music is presented to one of the openings 2 in the tracker board atmospheric air is sup plied through the pipe 37 to the under side of the primary pneumatic diaphragm 48 with the result that it will move upward due to the vacuum in the chest 40 with the result that the valve 44 is closed and the valve 43 is open, thus admitting outside air around the stem 42 and permitting it to pass freely through the opening 45 to the port 27 and upon the left side or back of the secondary diaphragm 25 which will result, in a well known manner, in the relief or outside .air valve being forced tightly upon its seat and preventing the admission of air at, this point. In the meantime, however, tracker board air is passed through the pipe 36 through the opening to the clearance space 34 behind thediaphragm 21 and through the opening in the partition about the sleeve 20 to the clearance space behind thediaphragm 22, but since the diaphragm 21 is larger in area than the diaphragm 22, the sleeve 20 will be shifted to the right, thus opening the vacuum controlling valve 19, and permitting the air in the power pneumatic'to be drawn therefrom through the connecting openings 9 and '10, thus producing the operation of the power pneumatic. When the opening in the music sheet has passed beyond the opening in the tracker bar, the primary valve returns to its nor- Inal position, as shown in the drawing, when the'valve 44 will permit the vacuum to act through the port 4l and channel 45 to exhaust the air from the secondary pouch when the outsideair valve 30 will be released and outside air will rush into the power .pneumatic'to release the same. In the meantime, however, atmospheric air which passed into the channel 35 behind the vacuum controlling valve pouch 21, is being exhausted through the bleed 38 when the vacuum will draw the vacuum controlling valve 19 down upon its seat. The adjustment of the vacuum controllingvalve and the valve 30 is such that when the action is inactive both valves are seated, but during the release just described and after operation, the valve 30 is movedback against the tension of its spring 33 by atmospheric air flowing in to relieve the power pneumati which returns to normalposition.

It will beseen that if the opening in the sheet of music be varied then the volume of tracker board air admitted will be varied, and the extent of flexing of the diaphragm- 21 to the right will be varied also, with the result thatthe extent of opening of the valve 19 will be varied so that the force exerted by the power pneumatic will be greater or less according to the opening of the vacuum valve. The force of the stroke of the power pneumatic therefore is always commensurate with the volume of air admitted from the tracker board. With this construction and arrangement in mind, let us assume that all the notes of the accompaniment of any composition be designated by one size of openings and the melody or theme be designated in the same sheet of music by openingsor perforations of an increased width over those of the accompaniment, then the power pneumatics of those actions, corresponding to the theme or melody, will produce an intensified stroke or intensified tone, and the theme or melody of the piece will stand out above the accompaniment.

In order to vary the effective operation of one pneumatic action relative to all of the rest or to arrange a series of pneumatic actions in a manner such that they will operate with greater or less force relative to the rest, a regulating valve 52 is screwed into the casing and is adapted to regulate the flowof air through the bleed 38, and by adjusting this valve and cutting down or increasing the flow of air through this bleed, the operation of the entire action is intensified or is varied so that even with the ranges of operation caused by varying volumes of air admitted fromthe tracker board the operation of one pneumatic action may be varied with respect to the rest, so that if it is desired to intensify the tones of the bass, this may be accomplished by regulating these valves to diminish the flow through the blood of each pneumatic for the bass. so that the vacuum may operate these pneumatics with greater force than the actions which correspond with the treble.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a player action, a tracker bar,

rect accordance with the volume of air admitted to the corresponding tracker.

2. In a pneumatic piano player, in comopening in the bination, a tracker board, a power pneu-- matic, a vacuum chest, said power pneumatic and said chest being connected b a suitable opening, a single device in said opening for controlling the exhaust of the power pneumatic, motor means therefor having a variable operation according to the volume of air admitted from a correspond ing single opening in the tracker, and means for varying the volume of air admitted by the tracker board to each action and independently of the vacuum in the player.

In a piano player action, in co1nbination, a power pneumatic, a vacuum chest, said parts being connected by a suitable opening, a single valve for controlling the exhaust of the power pneumatic, motor means connected to a single opening in the tracker for controlling said valve and for actuating it varying amounts in accordance with variations in the volume of outside air admitted at the corresponding opening in the tracker, and means for varying the volume of air admitted at such single opening and independently of the vacuum in the chest.

4t. In a piano player, in combination, a tracker board, a power pneumatic, a vacuum chest, said power pneumatic and said chest being connected by a suitable opening, a single vacuum valve for controlling said opening, an outside air valve free to open and permit the power pneumatic to assume normal position, means for closing the outside air valve upon the operation of the action, motor means for operating the vacuum valve and connected to a single opening in the tracker and varying in its operation with the volume of air admitted at the corresponding single opening 1n the tracker, and means for admitting varying volumes of air to the several openings in the tracker board independently of the vacuum in the chest.

5. In a piano player, in combination, a tracker board, a power pneumatic, a vacuum chest, said power pneumatic and said chest being connected by a suitable opening, a single valve for closing such opening, an outside air valve for admitting outside air to the power pneumatic to permit it to assume normal position. means actuated by the admission of air by the tracker board for holding said outside air valve closed, a motor device connected with the single opening in the tracker and varying in its operation with the volume of air at the corresponding single opening in the tracker, and means for varying the volume of outside air admitted by the tracker to such device.

6. In a piano player, in combination, a tracker board, a power pneumatic, a vacuum chest, said power pneumatic and said chest being connected by a suitable opening, a single vacuum valve for closing said opening, an outside air valve, a secondary pneumatic for holding said outside air valve closed, a pneumatic device for operating the vacuum valve and connected with a single opening in the tracker and varying its operation with the volume of air admitted at the corresponding single opening in the tracker, and means for varying the volume of air admitted to each single opening in the tracker independently of the vacuum in the chest.

7. In a piano player, in combination, a tracker board, a casing having a vacuum chest, a power pneumatic, said vacuum chest and power pneumatic being connected by a suitable opening, a single vacuum valve for closing said opening, an outside air valve, said outside air valve being yieldingly held upon its seat when the action is inactive, a secondary pneumatic for holding said outside air valve closed upon the operation of the action, a pneumatic device for operating said vacuum valve and connected with a single opening in the tracker board and varying its operation with the volume of air at the corresponding single opening in the tracker, a primary pneumatic actuated by air from the tracker board for governing the operation of the secondary pneumatic, and means for varying the volume of air admitted to each single opening in the tracker board independently of the vacuum in the chest.

8. In a piano player action, in combination, a power pneumatic, a vacuum chest, said power pneumatic and said chest being connected by a suitable opening, a vacuum valve for closing said opening, an outside air valve arranged between the chest and the power pneumatic. a secondary pneumatic for holding said outside air valve closed, a pneumatic device connected to a single opening in the tracker and opening the vacuum valve varying amouhts according to the volume of air admitted at the corresponding single opening in the tracker, means for varying the volume of air admitted at each single opening in the tracker, a suitable bleed between the vacuum chest and said pneumatic device. and means for regulating the flow through said bleed.

9. In a piano player, in combination a tracker board, a power pneumatic, a vacuum chest, said power pneumatic and said chest being connected by a suitable opening, a vacuum valve for closing said opening. an outside air valve arranged between the chest and the power pneumatic, a secondary pneumatic for holding said outside air valve closed, a pneumatic device connected to a single opening in the tracker and opening the vacuum valve varying amounts accord ing to the volume of air admitted at the corresponding single opening in the tracker, means for varying the volume of air admitted at each single opening in the tracker, a suitable bleed between the vacuum chest and said pneumatic device, and an adjusting screw mounted in the chest for regulating the passage through said bleed.

10. In a piano player action, in combination, a casing having an outside air opening and a port leading to the power pneumatic and a suitable vacuum chamber therein communicating with the power pneumatic port, a power pneumatic secured to the casing and having an opening communicating with the power pneumatic port, a valve seat arranged about the opening leading to the vacuum chest, an outside air valve for closing the outside air opening, a stem secured to said outside air valve and projecting into the vacuum chest, means for holding said outside air valve closed during the operation of the action, a sleeve slidably mounted upon said stem, a vacuum" valve carried by said sleeve and adapted to engage the seat about the vacuum chest opening, means normally tending to hold said vacuum valve closed, means for opening said vacuum valve, and means for sealing the opening between said sleeve and said stem.

11. In a piano player action, in combination, a casing having an outside air opening, a port leading to the power pneumatic and a suitable vacuum chamber therein communicating with the power pneumatic port, a valve seat arranged about the opening leading to the vacuum chest, an outside air valve for closing the outside air opening, a stem secured to said outside air valve and projecting into the vacuum chest, means for holding said outside air valve closed during the operation of the action, a sleeve slidably mounted upon said stem, a vacuum valve carried by said sleeve and adapted to engage said seat, means normally tending to hold said vacuum valve closed, means for opening said vacuum valve, and a button mounted upon said stem and provided with suitable packing and adapted to be engaged by the end of said sleeve to prevent the passage of air between the sleeve and the stem.

12. In a piano player action, in combination, a casing having a vacuum chamber separated by a partition and provided with a power pneumatic port communicating with the vacuum chamber and an outside air opening through the casing and in aline 'ment with the opening between the power pneumatic port and the chamber with which it is connected, an outside air valve adapted to close the outside air opening, a stem secured in said outside air valve, means normally tending to hold said outside air valve yieldingly in a closed position, a diaphragm mounted in the casing and adapted when supplied with outside air to hold said outside air valve closed, a sleeve slidably mounted upon said stem, a vacuum valve secured to said sleeve and adapted to close the opening leading from the vacuum chamber to the power pneumatic port, a diaphragm adapted to be operated by out side air for opening said vacuum valve, means for preventing leakage about the valve stem and between it and the sleeve, and a power pneumatic adapted to be controlled by the vacuum valve.

13. In an automatic piano player, the combination of a pneumatic, atracker board, a pipe communicating therewith, a valve for controlling said pneumatic, and a valve controlling device, comprising two members of different sizes acting in opposition to each other, one side of each member being in communication with the tracker board through said pipe.

14. In an automatic piano player, the combination of a pneumatic, a tracker board, a pipe communicating therewith, a valve for controlling said pneumatic, and a valve controlling device, comprising two members of different sizes acting in opposition to each other, one side of both members being acted upon by the same pressure while the other side of each member is in communication with the tracker board through said 1pc. p 15. In an automatic piano player, the combination of a pneumatic, a tracker board, a pipe communicating therewith, a valve for controlling said pneumatic, an operating Y chamber, and a Valve controlling device located within said chamber, comprising two members of different sizes acting in opposition to each other, one side of each member being in communication with the tracker board through said pipe.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EUGENE C. WAMELINK. Witnesses:

G. O. FARQUHARSON, C. H. TRESCH.

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